The TRUTH About Camping Tent Materials

The best camping tent material depends a lot on how you'll use it. In this camping gear review video we'll cover everything you need to know about popular camping tent fabrics including durability, comfort, sustainability, and weight.

Whether it's your first tent or your fifth, choosing the right tent material can be confusing. There are so many options these days with from canvas to synthetics like nylon, polyester, and Dyneema. After watching this you'll know when to use what and get some helpful tips along the way.

So which one will you get? Let us know in the comments!

CHAPTERS
00:00 How To Choose
01:32 Canvas Tents
03:35 Nylon Tents
06:13 Polyester Tents
09:44 Dyneema Tents
10:29 Canvas vs Nylon Tents
11:26 Canvas vs Polyester Tents
12:31 Nylon vs Polyester Tents
13:34 Recommendations

[SURVIVINGANIMALJOHAN]

I have an ozark trail 4 person, and I was amazed that it wasn’t that bad under the rain, yesterday I slept well and it was rainy and windy! So impressed for the price. I think it’s nylon since I have some reparations that my dog provoked, I saw some tiny holes but I slept just fine, so incredible

[ShimodaLife]

I love your "I was 11 when I bought this tent" anecdote. A fantastic back-story! Enjoyed the entire video, and learned some things. Cheers from Japan.

[LostInIce]

I just bought a 1.5 person pollycotton tent. Fantastic in the wind, rain and snow. Zero condensation even in extreme cold.

[lamarwilliams]

A lot of good info. Many videos worth watching!!!!

[tentingaroundflorida]

Colman dome 3 person was my first tent. Had it for 20 years. Now i camp year round and got a canvas tent

[noyopacific]

Thanks for the video! Another factor about canvas tents is that they are often treated to be fire resistant, in some states this is required.

[franny]

I finally got my springbar traveler tent. I'm gonna use a planar diesel heater. The two together are about the same cost as the highliner, maybe a little more, but I can't fight with a wood stove at night. I needed something to stay warm that I could turn on and go to bed and wake up with it still going 😁 You've been a big help in my picking so thank you!

[rhondabryant]

Thank you so much! I grew up camping in a canvas tent that my Grandparents used to camp in. Would like to get back to camping, but I was so worried about needing to get “the right tent” but also not wanting to spend a fortune in case we only go a few times, haha! Thank you for “permission” to start cheap. 🎉

[ariasd]

Thanks so much. My fiancé and I just moved to an outdoorsy area on the west coast and want to get into camping. We want to have some hybrid between bush craft and backpack camping, with a focus on being stationary and comfortable, but also able to do some light hiking. We’ll most likely buy a canvas tent to start.

[billyinwaves]

What a great and informative video.
I also loved the camping stories about the tiny polyester (and decades old) tent shown.

[curly__]

Awesome vid... Very informative on the different materials. New sub. Thanks.

[brendafly]

Love hearing about your experiences with the polyester tent! Overall, really good information regarding tent comparisons and contrasts.

[MrMakto]

Melting factor on Nylon and polyester. Camp with fire!

[abdula]

Very informative video, thank you for sharing.
I want to buy 6m bell tent and I can only see two materials tents in my local camping shop. The first is cotton 3000mm and the second is polyester 5000mm. Is canvas the same as poly cotton?
I only care about heavy rain and last longer in winter because weather in Middle East in winter will be raining and never snow. I'll camp for one month no need to concerne about weight nether size matters.
What do you recommend for me Mr?

[donaldwortham]

If you were to guess. What would be the longevity of good quality of each if you had to live in one. I know canvas probably best just wondering months days or years of each if you can guess

[joeo]

Polyester is cheap. Every year I buy one in the fall to use as a shed for my RV in Arizona. By spring it is failed and torn. Cheap and disposable. No remote hope to reuse it next year.

[Mannyox]

any recommendations with tents that DONT have prop65, im in cali trying to buy a tent and for some reason there filles with chemicals that cause cancer

[skippyify]

If your tent does not leak, tear, or get blown away that's the best one

[ferryvantichelen]

One thing I missed in the overview: how f-ed am I when I am (or god forbid my kids are) sleeping inside and the tent catches on fire?